A Big Misunderstanding
by cinematus
Summary: When Ziva returns from her trip to Israel, she makes a discovery that might not only change her but also the life of one of her co-worker's. This story is set after Nine Lives and contains Tiva.


**I would like to thank my sister and KandonKuuson for betaing this story and encouraging me to post it here.**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own the mentioned characters or the show._**

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When Ziva entered the bullpen she instantly knew that something was wrong.

During her trip to Israel she somehow lost her keys to her apartment and now had to stop at NCIS to pick up her spare key. Of course she could have used her lock picking skills to open her apartment door but because the Navy Yard was on her way home so she decided to go there. That's why she was standing between her and Tony's desk right now and wondering what was leaving her with that not so "good feeling".

She dismissed the feeling and went to her desk to pick up her key from the drawer. That was when she noticed the letter lying on her desk. The all so familiar handwriting made it easy for her to immediately recognize whom the letter was from, Tony. Ziva picked it up, glancing around the bullpen to check to see if anybody was still at work but only the empty desks of her coworkers met her eyes. When her gaze reached Tony's desk she almost dropped all her things_. No, this couldn't be true._

She made her way over to her partner's workplace and switched on the light, she gasped at the sight in front of her. Tony's desk was completely empty. No mighty-mouse stapler, no letter opener, nothing. She checked the drawers, shocked to see that they were empty as well. All the GSM magazines were gone along with the medals Tony kept for Gibbs.

She could feel her stomach tightening and she had to sit down for a moment. She put her hands over her face and took some deep breaths.

_Maybe this is just a bad dream and I am still on my flight back to Washington and still sleeping._

No, she knew that is was real. Tony was gone. Dead or he quit his job. Ziva felt the tears coming to her eyes. She never felt so lost as in that moment right now.

_Why didn't anybody call me? How could I've missed that?_

That's when she remembered the envelope. She immediately ripped it open frantically, no longer caring if someone was watching she took out the letter and started reading it.

_Dear Ziva,_

_When you read this you probably already know that I left NCIS. I wouldn't be surprised if you knew it from the moment you entered the bullpen. With all your Mossad training and crazy ninja skills you are like some kind of super Gibbs._

Ziva felt a smile coming to her lips. She knew that Tony was always fascinated and kind of jealous of her Mossad education.

_You probably wonder why my desk is empty now and all my things are gone. I've decided to put up a request to be transferred. The position Jenny offered me 2 years ago has become vacant again._

She remembered that Tony talked with her about the position Jenny had offered him as team-leader in Rota, Spain. She was very grateful that he had turned down the offer and stayed in Washington. She would have missed him too much. She couldn't believe that he was gone now.

_I made this decision because I actually can't put up my façade anymore. I'm tired of the game we played for almost 4 years now. During my time on the aircraft carrier I realized how much you actually mean to me. You have no idea how much it hurt me to go on that undercover mission with Jeanne and to lie to you all the time. It even hurt me more to see you suffering from all the things I did to you._

_I had planned to tell you how I really feel about you but I just couldn't find the right time or words to say. I was kind of scared you might not feel the same and I guess I was right. I found the picture of your new boyfriend on your desk before you left to Israel._

_I'm really happy for you, hope that he is everything you need and I hope he makes you happy._

_Please take care and stay safe._

_Good-bye, Ziva._

_Love_

_Tony_

Ziva was lost for words. She felt angry and hurt that Tony went through her things but at the same time she was close to tears because she couldn't believe that he had said those things and not given her a chance to talk with him about it.

_Oh no, Tony. Don't think that you will get out of this so easily._

She picked up her belongings and decided to drive to Tony's place and to confront him. Hopefully it wasn't too late.

XXXXXXXX

Ziva pulled her red Mini up at Tony's driveway and was relieved to see that there was still some light on in his apartment. She made her way to the front door and knocked.

It took a few seconds before the door opened and Tony was standing in front of her with a couple of his DVDs in his hand and wearing some loose old Everlasting track pants.

"Oh, it's you!" Tony said once he realized who it was that had been knocking at his apartment door at 2 am in the morning.

"Yeah, it's me, Tony." Ziva said and she held up the letter in her hands so that Tony could see it. "What is this Tony?" Her voiced sounded harsher than she had intended to be.

"It looks like a letter to me, Zee-vah" was Tony's only reply. He knew immediately that it was his letter and he cringed. Why did she have to go to the Navy Yard tonight? 12 more hours and he would have been gone.

_I guess it's just my luck, lately._

Ziva couldn't believe that he had said that. She thought that he was tired of the game they played. Apparently not.

She pushed Tony aside and walked into his apartment. Or more like what was left of it. The floor was covered with filled up boxes, all the shelves were empty and even his entertainment system was gone. The only things that were left were his couch and a small table.

"I guess you want to talk about it, huh?" Tony asked as he closed the door behind her.

"Damn right you are." Ziva whirled around only to realize that Tony was standing right behind her. She took a few steps back and looked Tony in the eyes.

"What were you thinking? Do you really think that you can just send me a letter like this and then just leave? Don't' you think that I have something to say to that?"

Tony felt more and more uneasy with the situation he was in right now. He looked down at his bare feet and almost whispered "I guess that I didn't think anything when I wrote that letter. I needed to explain myself and didn't want to leave you without saying good-bye."

Ziva felt a lot calmer now, now that she was standing in front of Tony and hearing him explaining himself. She knew that it was hard for him to talk to her without his joking and goofing behavior. This was the real Tony DiNozzo. Deeply hidden.

"Look, Tony. I know what you might be thinking but it's not the way it looks."

When Tony locked eyes with her again she could see the confusion that ran through Tony.

"I'm a little confused, Ziva. You've been back here for a few months and than you go away again for a week. I think it's pretty clear. Not to mention the photo I found and the fact that you didn't answer me when I asked you about who you left behind when we were on the Reagan."

He turned around and made his way to the kitchen when Ziva grabbed his arm and forced him turn around again. They both were staring at one another, green eyes locked with chocolate brown ones, when Ziva decided to break the silence.

"Tony, will you please listen to me. I went back to Israel because my Aunt Nettie was ill and she asked me if I could come to help her with a few things. And the photo you found is of her son, Michael. He's my only relative I've got left."

Tony starred at her and couldn't believe what she just said. He made a complete fool out of himself and he felt totally embarrassed.

"Why…why didn't you say anything? Oh, god. I feel like a total idiot right now." Tony ran his hands through his hair and started pacing around his apartment. Ziva grabbed his arm again to hold him still so that he faced her again.

"If there is one idiot it's me. You gave everything up. You quit your job because you thought I had a boyfriend. Just imagine how I feel."

She lifted his chin with one of finger so that she was looking him right in the eyes.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"It's kind of a self-preservation thing, you know. Do you know what it's like to see the person you love everyday and not knowing if she loves you back? Can you imagine what it feels like seeing her happy with another guy? I just feared that I would destroy our friendship and to be honest that's the most important thing. You always raise me up when I'm down. You helped me to cope with the aftermaths of my undercover mission. You tease me and make me smile. You're the reason why I like my job so much. You really got under my skin, Ziva David and I didn't want to risk loosing all this by telling you that I love you."

Ziva stood speechless looking into Tony's eyes and seeing the truth there. She felt the tears coming to her eyes again and she blinked them away immediately. She took a deep breath before whispering:

"I know what you're talking about Tony. Do you really think it was easy for me to see you around with Jeanne? Sneaking out just to be with her. Have you ever thought that I might feel the same for you as you feel for me?"

Now tears were streaming down her face and she felt Tony wrap his arms around her to hold her close. He buried his face in her hair and silently whispered

"Oh, Ziva, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

They stood there like that for a couple of minutes but it felt like hours to them. It was Tony who broke the silence this time

"So what are we gonna do now? Move on with our lives as if nothing had happened? Pretend this conversation never took place like we always do?"

"I'm tired of pretending, Tony."

"Me, too, Ziva. Me, too."

They looked at each other and as if guided by an invisible force their heads moved closer. Their lips touched lightly and they both immediately felt the deep love they shared for one another. It was not a kiss of passion or lust, it was a kiss of love and they immediately knew that they found their soul mate.

"I guess that answers your question about soul mates, right?" Tony whispered and Ziva smiled up at him and buried her face in his chest.

"Tony? What are we gonna do now?"

"I don't know Zi. I hope that there's a chance that Vance might take me back. If not, I know it will hurt me to leave you behind."

"You don't have to, if you don't want to. I would go with you, I would follow you wherever you go. If you want me to." Ziva whispered as she nestled against him.

In that moment they both realized that whatever lay ahead of them they both would pull through it together. They loved each other and that was the most important thing.

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**_Thank you all for reading this._**

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_It is my first fanfic and I would love to get a short feedback and that you tell me what was good and what not and if I should ever consider to write another story._

_Thank you very much_

**_Tim_**


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